Lee Cheol-woo, Governor of Gyeongbuk, "Special Act on Forest Fire Damage Recovery and Support Should Include Tourism Resource Development"

"Let's Enact a Special Law for Wildfire Damage and Support"
"Emergency Disaster Relief Fund of 300,000 Won Per Resident Affected"

Amid simultaneous wildfire damages centered in the Yeongnam region, Lee Cheol-woo, Governor of Gyeongbuk Province, stated, "Many people came out wearing short sleeves and slippers after their homes were completely burned down," adding, "Gyeongbuk Province plans to decide on a proposal to provide emergency disaster relief funds of 300,000 won each through a one-point emergency meeting today."

On the 31st, Governor Lee said on MBC Radio's 'Kim Jong-bae's Focus' program, "Since the provincial council has expressed active cooperation, it will be passed and implemented immediately today."

Regarding the scale of wildfire damage, he said, "The damage assessment results will be released on the 6th, but the current estimated scale is 46,000 hectares and about 3,200 houses completely burned down," adding, "The previous East Coast wildfire burned 23,000 hectares and 400 houses, so this is nine times that. Since there is also damage to the sea, the damage scale is expected to be three times that of the East Coast wildfire."

He emphasized the need for 'advanced country-style evacuation' for nearby residents in the event of a disaster. Governor Lee said, "Disasters occur frequently, but it is very difficult to see residents staying in gymnasiums. Many were also in nursing homes," adding, "Minister of the Interior and Safety Ko Ki-dong, acting in his capacity, is here, and the Ministry of the Interior and Safety should prepare hundreds or thousands of evacuation houses and temporary housing to be supplied immediately in case of disaster."

He also advocated for enacting a special law for the recovery and support of large-scale wildfire damages. Governor Lee said, "This wildfire should be a turning point to change South Korea's wildfire response measures," adding, "The entire system needs to be overhauled. A special law must be enacted."

The governor had previously expressed the necessity of enacting a special law for the recovery of large-scale wildfire damages during a briefing the day before.

Under current laws, the government provides cash support to victims for rebuilding completely burned houses, but in areas with a high proportion of elderly residents, many hesitate to rebuild if the support amount is insufficient. Therefore, Governor Lee argues that a special law should be created to compensate fire-damaged houses with housing itself. He also suggested adding special provisions for forest conservation to the special law to enable the recovered forest areas to be developed as tourist resources.

He said, "Our country has many forests, and the idea is to turn them into tourist resources," adding, "Restoring mountains takes 100 years, and even if good plans related to tourism resources are made, the laws are too strict to implement them. Although everything has already burned down, a special law is needed to apply special provisions for developing mountains, farmland, and creating new seas for tourism industry purposes."